It’s a simple message, but it says it all for Tom Toteff, owner of Tom’s Hardware located at 558 S. Lapeer Rd. in Oxford Township.

Toteff posted the message Monday on his store’s sign as a way to thank the U.S. military forces who quietly slipped into Pakistan and killed Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaida terrorist leader and mastermind behind the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York City and Washington D.C. that resulted in the deaths of 2,977 innocent people.

“We just want to thank them for putting their lives on the line and doing the job that they do,” Toteff said. “If there weren’t people who were willing to do that, (the terrorists) would be over here fighting. It’s important that we have people like that who are willing to take care of their country.”

Toteff believes it was necessary for the U.S. to finally kill bin Laden as not only a measure of justice for the thousands of murders he was responsible for, but also to prevent him from planning any future terrorist attacks and influencing others to kill on his behalf.

“It sends a message to the next one that might want to try it,” he said.

Toteff’s grateful that no U.S. soldiers were killed during the daring raid on bin Laden’s hiding place.

“They did what they set out to do. They did what they had to do,” he said.